Flexible metal casing for laminated springs.



B. B. LEUSTIG FLEXIBLE METALCASING FOR LAMINATED SPRINGSL APPL ICATIONFILED JAN. 2. 1917.

Patented J ul y 31, 1917.

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B. B. LEUSTIG. 'FLEXIBLE METAL CASING FOR LAMINATED SPRINGS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- 2; I917. 1,235,21 1

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FLEXIBLE METAL CASING FOR LAMLnArED SPRINGS.

1 ,235,211 Specification of Letters Patent.

-1Pate11ted July 31, 1917. Application filed January 2, 1517. I SerialNo. 140,039. i

To all whom it mag concern form top covering for the uppermost leaf Beit known that I, BENNo B. LEUSTIG, of the laminated spring shown inFigs. 1,2, a citizen of the United States of America, 3, Land 5. .Fig. 7is a central longitudinal residing at Cleveland, in the county ofvertical section of-a portion of two assem- 5 Cuyahoga and StateiofOhio, have invented bled flexible metal strips adapted to form acertain, new and ,us'eful Improvements in bottom covering for thespring. Fig. 8 is Flexible MetalQg-Casings' for Laminated a transversesection taken along the line 'spring's'fand I-hereby. declare thefollowing 88, Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a transverse section to be a,f11fll',clear,'and exact description of takenalong'the line 9,9, Fig. 7. Fig. 10

10 the'invention, such as will enable others 'is -a longitudinal sectiontaken along the skilled 3 in the art to which it pertains to centralleaf of the spring shown through-the make and use the same. Ihereinafter described flanges of the afore- Thisinyentionrelatestoimprovements in .said strips. Portions are broken away in-protectiveandlubricating flexible metal as- Fig. 10 to reduce the sizeof the figure. Fig.

15 ings fonllaminatedf springs, and pertains l'is drawn on a smallerscale than the re- "more especiallyto,'a flexible sectional metal;maining figures. l

casin extending longitudinally of a lami- Referring to Figs. 2, 3, 4 and5 of said nate spring and serving'as a covering for drawings, 12indicates the uppermost leaf the top-,' sides and bottom of the spring.of'one-half of a semi-elliptical or a quarter- 20 One objectofithis'inve'ntion is to provide 'elliptical laminated spring, and 13indicates means'fior insuring-adequate lubrication of a the leavesbetween said uppermost leaf and laminated. spring and minimizing theloss the bottom ofthe spring. The uppermost or-wasteof lubricant. leafl2 terminates at one end in a horizon- Another object is f-to providemeans for tally arranged tubular member 14 which 25 protecting alaminated spring and excludforms the head' of the spring, and atsaid ingdust anddirt from the spr1ng.- head the sprlng 1s adapted to be attached30 ",Another object 'isto 'rendervmy improved to the object which is tobe mounted on the flexible metal 'casingfor a laminated spring spring.The spring is reduced in size ver- 1 simplein construction, readilyapplicable to tically in the direction of said head, and

30 "and removable from the spring'and reliable the upper of adjacentleaves of the spring in "operation. v "5 projects in thevusual manneroutwardly belVith these -objectsin View, and to the end yond the lowerof said leaves in said direcof attaining any other objecthereina-fter'aption. r

pearing; this invention consists in certain My improvediprotective'anddubricating 35 features of construction and combinations device forthe spring illustrated (see Figs.

and relative arrangementiof parts, herein-- 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) comprisesa flexible metal after describedin thisspecification, pointed casingwhich extends longitudinally of the out i-n-jthe claims, and illustratedin the acspring and is composed of two superimcompanying 'drawingsgposed flexible sheet-metal strips A and a ar- 40 In said drawings,Figure l is a side View ranged to form a double covering for the lowerstrip a, and sa ii us or out: outer lower strip. Eac upper strip (seeFigs. 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10) has two laterally spaced rows of downwardlyprojecting flanges, .and B indicates the flanges of the inner upperstrip, and b the flanges of the outer upper strip. The two rows offlanges of each of said strips are ar-' ranged at opposite sidesrespectively-of the spring. The flanges of each row of flanges of eachcasing-forming strip extend longitudinally of the strip and are arrangedin line endwise and spaced longitudinally of the strip. The flanges ofeach upper strip are shown gradually reduced in width toward theiriower. extremities. The flanges of each lower strip are shown graduallyreduced in width toward their upper extremities.

As shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 10, the two rows of flanges A of the innerlower strip A overlap opposite sides respectively of the spring, andsaid flanges extend from the bottom to the top of the spring. The innerup-' per strip B is wider than the inner lower strip A. The spacebetween adjacent flanges of each row of flanges A of the inner lowerstrip A (see Fig. 10) is covered at its outer side by a flange of theadjacent row of flan es B of the inner upper strip B, and

between the aCijttufillb DALL'G m me u the adjacent row of upper strip.

As shown in Figs. 4-, 3 lower strip a is not only wider than the in nerlower strip, wider. than the inner flan es or said inner and 10, theouter upper strip 3. @pposite each ge of each row of flanges B 01" theinner upper strip A is shown (see Fig. 1(9):.2. flange of the adjacentrow e anges a ofthe outer i nges of said outer 1 wer strip preferaoiyextend item the lower extremities to the upper ends of the a inn/A.

I 1116 space between adjacent flanges an W.

. of each row of flanges a of the outer lower said outer upper stripoverlaps adjacent portions of said adjacent flanges of said outer lowerstrip and preferably extends fronithe upper' extremities to the lowerends of the last-mentioned flanges. The flanges'of each row of flangesZ) of the outer upper strip 6 are spaced from the adjacent side ofj thespring far enough to permit the illustrated arrangement of the flangesof each row of flanges a of the outer lower strip between the adjacentrows of flanges of the upper strips.

It will be observed, therefore, that the double covering formed for thebottom of the spring by the lower strips A and a secured together ashereinbefore indicated comprises two laterally spaced rows of anges Aand a" at each side of the spring, that the double coveringformed forthe top of the spring by the upper strips B and 79 secured together ashereinbefore indicated comprises two laterally spaced rows of flanges Band 6 at each side of the spring, that each inner row of flanges A ofthe bot tom covering and the adjacent outer row of I v I oi the stripsA, if, a anu o is eaa euwi. illustrated, but even sheet-metal strips asthick as shown would have enough flexibility to-render the casing formedby them capable 0i flexing with the spring.

0n the casing formed by the strips A, B, a and 7), adjacent the head 14of the spring, (see Figs. 1, 3 and 5) is loosely mounted a sleeveconsisting'preiierably of opposite endportions D and a of a flexiblesheet-metal strip having its central portion 17 extendingcircumferentially or embracing the head tofifsleeve-section D extendstransversely. of

the bottom and from side to side of the easing formed by the strips A,B, a and b and is provided at each side and externally of said casingwith an upwardly projecting flange 18, and the top sleeve-section dextends transversely of the top and from side to side of said casing.and is provided at each side and externally of said casing with addownwardly projecting flange 19 overlapping the outer side of theadjacent flange 18 of the bottom sleeve-section D.

' The flanges 18 and 19 preferably extend, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3,"beyond thecasing formed by the strips A, B, a and b in the direction ofthe head 14 of the spring.

The sleeve-sections D and d and their flanges 18 and 19 and theconnecting headembracing member 17 form a protector and guard for theadjacent end of the casing formed by the strips A, B, a and b and alsooperate to prevent the lodgment of dirt and dust on the head 14 andadjacent portions of the spring and aforesaid casing.

Means for preventing separation of the sleeve-sections D and d (see Fig.5) "comprise a bolt, the shank E whereof rests on and is arrangedtransversely of the top sleeve-section (Z and extends through theend-members-g and g of a substantially U- shaped metal strap which hasits central member. G engaging and extending transversely of the underside of the bottom sleeve-section D, and said strap has its cen- Y tralmember G connected with each endmember 9 by an outwardly bowed resilientmember 21, and the resilient members 21 of said strap act to retainsaid'central member G and the aforesaid bolt in their sleeve-engagingposition, but obviously said resilientmembers permit a limited movementof the sleeve-sections in the direction required to enlarge the spacevertically between the sleeve-sections as desired to avoid interferencewith the flexibility of said sleeve, the spring and the casing composedof the strips A, B, a-and Z). The end members g'of the spring-strapproject far enough above the top sleeve-section D to permit the'extension of the shank E of the bolt therethrough, and said bolt has itshead .e arranged at the outer side of one of said end-members, and a nutf is screwed onto said shank at the outer side of the other of said endmembers.

Means for preventing separation of the coverings comprising the trip A,a and B b,-that is, means for holding said strips in place relative tothe spring near the head' of the spring-comprise a bolt the shank Hwhereof (see Fig. l) rests on and is arranged transversely of the outerupper strip a short distance inwardly from the hereinbefore mentionedsleeve-sections D and d and extends through the end members Z and Z of asubstantially U-shaped meta-l strap which has its central member Lengaging theunder 'side and extending longitudinally of a metalcross-strip M which extends transversely of and is soldered or otherwisesecured to the under side of the outer lower strip a and arranged (seeFig. 3) between downwardly projecting flanges m of said cross-strip, andsaid flanges prevent displacement of said strip longitudinally of thecasing formed by the strips A, B, a and b. The central member L of saidstrap is connected with each end member Z of the strap by an outwardlybowed resilient member 23, and the resilient members 23 of said strapact to retain said central member L and the afore said bolt H in theircasing-engaging position, but obviously said resilient members 23 permita limited outward movement of the strips A, B, a and b as desired toavoid interference with the desired flexibility of the spring and thecasing composed of said. strips. The end members Z of the last-mentionedspring-strap project far enoughabove the outer upper strip 7) to permitthe extension of the shank H of the bolt therethrough, and said bolt hasits head h arranged at the outer side of said end members, and a nut Iis screwed onto said shank at the outer side of the other of said endmembers.

Obviously the leaves of the spring shown are not liable to be flexed atthe inner end of the spring,that is, at the end opposite to the end14,and as the strips forming each double covering of the spring arefastened together near said end of the spring there is little or notendency of the strips to separate from the spring at said inner end ofthe spring, but I would here remank that the spring and its casing areadapted to be clamped in any approved manner, upon the application ofthe spring, to the member or portion of a vehicle, frame. or otherobject (not shown) to which the spring is to be attached, and obviouslythe strips composing said casing, when the casing has been clamped withthe spring to said vehicle-member, frame or other object. are positivelyheld in place at said inner end of the spring.

By the construction hereinbefore described, it will be observed that theflexible inclosure formed by the strips-A, B, a and b and its ,sleeveformed by the sections D and (Z protects the spring at the top, sidesand bottom and forms-a receptacle for holding lubricant and serves tominimize loss or waste of lubricant, and participates in keeping thespring clean and adequately lubricated and in prolonging the life of thespring. v

. lVhat I claim is 1. The combination, with a .laminated spring whichhas one of its leaves projecting beyond the other leaves of thespringandterminating in a head, and a casing comprising flexible metalstrips extending longitudinally 'of the spring and into-pr'ox imity tosaid head and forming a covering for the top, sides and bottom of the.spring, of a sleeve mounted adjacent said head on the casing andcomprising two sections extending across the bottom and top respectively of said casing, and a flexible member embracing said head andconnecting said covering for the top, sidesand bottom of thespring, of.a sleeve comprising a flexible bottom section and a flexible top sectioncovering the bottom and top, respectively of said casing adjacent saidhead, and a flexible member embracing said head and connecting I saidsleeve-sections together.

3. The combination, with a laminated spring which has one of itsleavestermmating'in a head, and a flexible metal casing extendinglongitudinally of the spring and into proximity to said head and forminga covering for the top, sides and bottom of the spring, of a sleevecomprising a flexible bot-- tom section and a flexibletop sectioncovering the bottom and top respectively of said casing adjacent saidhead, the sleeve-sections havingoverlapping flanges at the sides of saidcasing, and said flanges extending outwardly beyond the adjacent end ofsaid casing in the direction of said head.

i. The combination, with a laminated spring which has itsaippermost leafterminating in a tubular member arranged trans versely of said leaf andforming a head for the s rin and a flexible metal casing extendinglongitudinally of the spring and into proximity to said head and forminga covering for the top, sides and bottom of the spring, of a sleevecomprising a flexible bottom section and a flexible top section cover-,ing the bottom and top respectively of said casing adjacent said head,and a member extending circumferentially of said head and connectingsaid sleeve-sections together, the bottom sleeve-section havmg twoupwardly projecting flanges overlapping opposite sides respectively ofsaid casing, the top sleevesection having two downwardly projectingflanges overlapping the outer sides of the flanges of the bottomsleeve-sectmn.

combination, with a laminated spring, a flexible metal casing extendinglongitudinally of the spring and into proximity to a head of the springand forming a covering for the-top, sides and bottom of the spring, asleeve comprising a flexible bottom section and a flexible top sectioncoverirg the bottom and top respectively of said casing adjacent saidhead, and. a member embracing said head and connecting saidsleevesections together, of means for preventing separation of thesleeve-sections.

6. The combination, .with a laminated spring which has one of its leavesterminating in a head, and a flexible metal casing extendinglongitudinally of the spring and into proximity to said head and forminga covering for the top, sides and bottom of the spring, of a sleevecomprising a flexible bottom section and a flexible top section coveringthe bottom and to respectively 01'? said casing adjacent said ead, and amember embracing said head and connecting the sleeve-sections together,said head-embracing member and said sleeve-sections being formed of asingle flexible metal strip.

7. The combination, with a laminated spring which has its uppermost leafterminating in a tubular member arranged transversely of said leaf andforming a head of the spring, a flexible metal casing extendinglongitudinally of the spring and forming a covering for the top, sidesand bottom of the spring, and a sleeve comprising a flexible bottomsection and a flexible top section covering the bottom and toprespectively of the aforesaid casing adjacent the aforesaid head, ofmeans for normally holding the sleeve-sections together andyieldable topermit a limited movement of the sleeve-sections in the directionrequired to enlarge the space vertically between said sections.

8. The combination, with a laminated spring, of ,a flexible sheet-metalstrip form ing a covering for the bottom of the spring and extending.longitudinally and from side to side of the spring and provided at eachside of the spring with a row of upwardly projectingflanges which arespaced longitin dinally'of the spring, and a flexible sheetmetal stripforming a covering for the top of the spring and extendinglongitudinally andfrom side to side of the spring and provided at eachside of the spring with a row of downwardly projecting flanges which arespaced longitudinally of. the spring, the

flangesof said strips having such relative arrangement and dimensionsthat said flanges cover the sides of the spring from top to bottom ofthe spring.

9. The combination, with a laminated' spring, of a flexible sheet-metalstrip forming a covering for the bottom of the spring and extendinglongitudinally and from to side of the spring and provided at each sideofjthe spring with a row of upwardly,

projecting'flanges which are spaced longitudinally of the spring andreduced in width toward their upper extremities, and

aifleXiblQjsheet-metal strip forming a covering 'idfthe-t'op' of thespring and extending longitudinally and from side to side of thespringand' provided at each side of the spring w th. a row of downwardlyproject- 'ing flanges which are spacedlongitudinally their lowerextremities, the flanges of said strips having such relative arrangementand dimensions that said flanges form a covering for thesides ofthespring. i

sprmg, of a flexlble sheet-metal strip formmg a covering for the bottomof the spring and extending longitudinally and from side to side ofithespring and provided at each side of the spring with a row of upwardlyprojecting flanges which are spaced longitudinally of-the spring, and aflexible sheetmetal strip forming a covering for the top of the springand extending longitudinally and from side toside of the spring andprovided at the outer side of the aforesaidrowof flanges .with a row ofdownwardly projecting flanges whichare spaced :l'ongitudina y'of thespring and'altrnatewith said flanges of the first-mentioned strip.

11." The combination, with a laminated spring, ofa flexible sheet-metalstrip forming a covering. forthebottom of the spring.

and extending longitudinally and from side to side of the spring andprovided at each side of the spring with a row ofupwardly projectingflanges which extend substantially' from the bottom to the. top 'of theand are'sp'aced longitudinally of the sprin and, gradually reduced inw1dth toward heir upper extremities; and a flexible sheet-metalstripcforming a covering for the 1 ep gsiitli sr ing n fi ng ,lo iia providedat" the outer side of the aforesaid rower flanges with'a row ofdownwardly projecting flanges which alternate with the firstfmentioned,flanges and are gradually reduced in' width toward their--- lower ex- Itremitiesl and extending longitudinally and from side to side of thespring and provided at each-.'. h

upwardly pro ecting members varranged at the sides andspaced'longitudinally vof the side of the spring with a row of upwardlyprojecting flanges which are spaced longitudinally of the spring, and aflexible sheet of the and extending longitudlnal'ly and from side toside of the spring and proof the spring and reduced in width toward- 10.The combination, with a laminated y'and from sideito side of thespringand 45 I wider: than the first-mentioned strip and' 1 15. Thecombination, with a laminated spring, of an inclosure for said-spring,said metal strip forming a covering'for the top tween and the outersides of adjacent por-v tions of adjacent flanges of each row of flangesof the first-mentioned strip beingcovered by a .flange -ef'the adjacentrow of flanges of the second-mentioned strip'.

v13. The combination, with a laminated spring, of two superimposedflexible'sheetmetal strips forming a double covering for the top of thespring and extending longitudinallyand from side to side of the springand provided each at each side of the spring with a row of downwardlyprojecting flanges which are spaced longitudinally of the spring, and aflexible metal covering for the bottom of the spring, the last-mentionedcovering extending longitudinally and from t side to side of the springand provided at each side .of the spring with a row of upwardlyprojecting flangeswhichare spaced longitudinally of the spring, saidlast-men- 5 tioned row of flanges-being arranged between the adjacentrows of flanges of the aforesaid strips,

14. The combination, with a laminated spring,- of two superimposedflexible sheet- 9 metal strips forming a double covering for the bottomof the spring and provided each at each side of the s vring with a rowof up; wardly projecting fl nges which are spaced longitudinally of thespring, two superimposed flexible sheet-metal strips forming 'a doublecovering for the top of the spring and provided each at each side of thespring with a row of downwardly projecting flanges spaced longitudinallyof the spring, the inner upper strip being wider than the 'i nner lowerstrip, the outer lower strip being wider than the inner upper strip, the

outer upper strip being wider than the outer lower strip, thespacebetween and the outer sides of adjacent portions of adjacentflanges of each;row of flanges of the inner lower strip being'coveredbya flange of the adjacent row offlanges of the inner upper strip, and thespace between and the outer sides of ad'acent portions of adjacentflanges. of eac row of flanges of the outer lower strip'being coveredbya flange of the adjacentrow offlanges of the outer upper, strip.

inclosure comprising a flexible metal covering for the bottom'of thespring, which covering extends longitudinally and from side to side ofthe spring and comprises spring, the aforesaid inclosure also comprisking a flexible metal covering for'the top of the spring, vsaidlast-mentioned'= 'covering eomprising downwardly projecting members.

7 arranged .at the sides and spaced Ilongitudi- 7 nally of the spring,said projectingfmembers of said coverings participating in the forma-Ring and with spring and sew-- lasbmentiened one ing lengitudinany ".116spring and fiang s at the sldes 0f flanges UL said simps havin" mam analiansio coveruw ti,

